Library of Congress Online Catalog
To locate items on a particular topic via the Library of Congress Online Catalog:
1: Select Basic Search.
2: Select Keyword from the Search Type box.
3: Click in the Search Text search box.
4: Type a topic (e.g., “attention deficit disorder”, “developmental play”, “kindergarten science”, etc.). Topics should generally be three words or less (the fewer the better) and enclosed in parentheses.
5: Click on 25 records per page and change it to 100 records per page.
6: Select Begin Search.
7: If the search yields an appropriate number of items proceed to step 9. If the search yields too few items select Back and retype the topic with each word directly preceded by a plus sign; there should be a space after each word (e.g., +attention +deficit +disorder, +developmental +play, +kindergarten +science, etc.).
8: Select Begin Search.
9: Scan the provided listing and click on a relevant title.
10: Click on Full Record, analyze the record, and determine whether or not you wish to obtain the item (please remember that the Library of Congress Online Catalog is not a full-text database). If you DO NOT wish to obtain the item, select Back twice to return to the listing of items on your topic and continue to scan through the list for relevant titles. If you DO wish to obtain the item, print the record by selecting the Print or Save Search Results button at the bottom of the page and then select Print from your Web browser. Call your local university, college, or public library and ask if they have the item or can help you obtain the item via interlibrary loan (if you are not a current student at the local college or university you will probably have to borrow or obtain the item via interlibrary loan from your local public library).
